Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-02-23
L'ENFANTS GRAVE.
rho Career or n Brave Man and
Able Architect
The Unm1rhed Grave which Contains the
Du-t OF the Man who Laid out tho
city of Washington - Ills
buy Life aad sad End.
[wa.hlnston Coz. rnlIaaelphln rlmo,.

the manor house Of Gillian Castle Manor,
portion Of an old grant OF 500 acres 10
Dudley Diggcs. Of the family Of Sir Dudley
Diggrs 81 Chillam Castle, England Master
81 the Rolls under King Cha=lca l. in 1859
George W. Riggs. tho eminent Washington
= nkgr. became tho pOssessOr OF the manor
aouse aud Go acres 81 the original tract:
The 90 ate, bcautincd through tho munih-
fsncc 81 is new proprietor, upon his death
fell To tho inheritance OF his youngest son,
I. LawrasOn Riggs, who. with his two ac-
romplishCd sisters makes the manor his
summer residence.
In "a copse 81 cellars, In scclud ell spot
iu the garden, not far from the mansion, Ia
tho ancient family burial place The ruins
Of the tcnomcnts o. the former dcuizcns OF
thc hallowcd soil lie crumbling around.
Three lonely aud unmarked graves remain
~ commemorate the solemn former uses u
the spot. In the largest, over six feet in
length, lies what remains, after
sixty.Ono years, OF tho perish
able mortality Of Major Peter
Charles LEnfant. lis only companions in
that garden Of death are a child and "A sui
eide. buried by superst.t.ous slaves dag
funlly in his grave. The fcnd hands OF
Kindred aud friends have tcndotiy con-
ycyed 20 consocratCd ground the rcmcius
of those who once gathered here as tie
skeleton harvester made his rounds. A
tiching pine, drawing q vigorous life
irom tho very earth which envelopes tho
ashes Of L'EEfant, attuncd 10y the brcczes
~ Heaven, carries the inspiration Of lis
genius intOuCyor- ending requiem. Nature,
more generous than nan, has drawn over
the lonely mound a mantle OF myrtle, like
pail OF perennial green.
The career OF L'Snfunt end Sits sequel
presents touching illustration Of the mu-
Liflt ont gifts OF genius, tho nobility Of a
human soul, the littlencss of men ami the
ingrniitude Of nation. Peter Charles
L'Enfnnt was born in France about
i1dj. Hc was an officer In the French
Inc. lie came TO America about
lIV and IGvc his heart and
his sword 10 the cause ~ liberty. In las
ne was Captain Of engineers in the Con-
tinCutal army. His bravery WAS displayed
on every occasion. - Savannah he was
badly wounded and taken prisoner in the
assault by Count d'Estaing. in I5S1 he
was exchanged, End year later was pro-
noted To Major Of engineers.
In 1859 ne designed and superintendent
the reconstruction Of Federal Hall. In New
York, for the accommodation Of tho first
Congress. In Philadelphia Robert Morris,
the tnancicr and hscsl agent Of the Gov
crnment, secured his services for the cree
ton Of magnificent marble mansion,
which, however, was revcr completed,
owing TO financial embarrassment over
taking It's protector. lie was the only
architect in the United States capable OF
large undertakings. When the site Of the
Federal Territory was located on the Po-
tOmac under the act OF July III 100, he
was rciccted by President Washington TO
mako "A reconnaissance Of the ground, and
Plan Of city. The report Of tins visit,
which took place in the summer aud autumn
Of lt0O, stiN preserved. gives "a detailed nc
count 81 The site and recommends the To-
cation OF The capital upon which tho exc
outiOn Of his plan would rost. On August
"a, 1921, Secretary Of State jefferson, in a
lottor, mentions the arrival OF Major
LEnfnnt NJ Philadelphia with h.s plan Of
the Federal city, which he laid before tho
President.
This priceless souvenir Of the Nations
capital IN embryo, much faded by tho lapse
Of time. is preserved ia the Office of Colo
mol John W. Wilson, engineer in charge Of
public buildings and grounds The name
81 tho city had not yet been determined
The drawing bears tho title, plan Of the
City Intended for the Permanent Scat Of
the Government OF the United Statcs. bro-
Jcctcd agrcrably To the direction of the
President Of the United S,a ties IN pursu.
ance ot mn Act OF Congress passed on the
sixtconth Day Of July. MDCCXC., 'es-
tabushinK the Permanent Seat on the
Tanks n the Potomac, by Peter Charles
EEnfant." The plan is practically
identical with the city OF to-day.
Washington meddlcd with - somewhat in
The interests OF specializing friend, who
owned land, and ma FRED tho symmetry
and beauty Of tho grounds In the front OF
a IN. 4
the plan commenced by It's protector did
not long remain in his hands. One Of the
discrcditable acts Of Washington was his
treatment Of the accomplished engineer.
The powerful Carroll, Of DuddiugtOn, hay
ing built house In ono OF the avenues laid
down on the plan, the engineer proceeded
10 remove 10. Washington In i102, yield
lug To the injustice Of Carrolrs demands
and against the wishes Of mauy interested
In the carrying forward of the work. as
sentcd 20 L'Enfant's removal Andrew
LllicOtt n surveyor Of reputation. who
ran the boundaries OF the Torr.tory. was
intrustcd with the prosecution Of the
work and made copy Of tho plan as IN
advertisement for the salO Of lots, which
was engraved in Philadelphia in tT92 by
rhackara a. Valance. Ellicott a year later
was dismissed hut the work was con-
tnued by othors down TO the present day.
In 1874 L'Enfant was employed on Fort
Mifilin, below Philadelphia. Then for
twenty years he lived In Obscurity Wash.
mgton, Jefferson aud Hamilton admitted
his genius, hut dcplorcd his cccentricitics
President Monroe appointed him Professor
Of Engineering at West Point Ia return
ing his commission he indorscd upon 4
Not accepted, but not refused" In 1877
Congress appropriated Sl.8lt 90 TO pny Z
\ L.
March l, lsg1. "for his services in laying
cut the plan Of the city Of Washington"
Upon tho outbreak Of tho war of 1871
L'Enfant was made engineer in charge o
the construction Of Fort W ashington,
etOnc casomatcd bGstion work, the key &
tho outer limo OF the river defenses Of tn
National capital but because Of dispute
with the authorities he was relieved.
During tho remainder of his DAYS he wa
the object OF the charitable hospitality q
friends. For some years he resided witt
Thomas Digges, on Warburton Manor, nea
Fort Washington. After that gentleman
death the aged engineer accepted hom
with William Dudley Digges, nephew o
his former benefactor, at Long Head. Chill
lam Castle Manor, now Green Hill. tn
estates Of Mr.. Riggs. Here on the Al
day of tho summer month Of June, 1875
nj seventy years of ogr, tho mortal re
mains of Peter Charles L'Enfant, the dc
si9ncr OF the beautiful capital OF IN
United States, were laid To rest by tn
hand Of charity, II il another sad page il
The story Of L'Enfant that tine last livip,
acscendant of his benefactor Is now Al
obioct Of charity in Washington asylum
snoO.s-ry IN Uld England.
lCor. Shenield independently
a curious little story was told mo illus